Re: ZERO – Starting Life in Another World (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu) has always been a franchise that generates intense opinions, both for its story and its characters. But now, in addition to strong emotions, it’s also generating something colder and more calculated: numbers. During AnimeJapan 2025, MyAnimeList CEO Atsushi Mizoguchi revealed that 87.6% of fans following the third season of Re: ZERO on MAL are male. Only 10.9% are female, and 1.5% do not identify in any way.
Only for boys? Re:ZERO Season 3 fans are mostly men.
This data was shared by GEM Standard, and while it’s worth considering that MyAnimeList already has a 70% male user base, Re:ZERO’s numbers still feel especially skewed. And that opens the door to some questions: What is it about this series that resonates so much with a male audience? Why doesn’t it appeal to the rest of the series?
For those unfamiliar, Re:ZERO is an isekai in which Subaru Natsuki, an ordinary boy, ends up trapped in a fantasy world. So far, nothing unusual. But what makes this series different is that Subaru revives every time he dies, as if he had his own save point, video game-style. What initially seems like a blessing soon turns into a rather dark curse.
The anime mixes action, psychological drama, moral dilemmas, and a ton of iconic waifus: Rem, Emilia, Beatrice, Echidna… the list goes on. And yes, that’s probably part of the key. While Re:ZERO has a fairly well-written narrative and emotionally intense moments, there’s no denying that the female cast is designed for visual appeal. A lot. It’s not pure fan service, but it’s clear they know what kind of audience they’re looking for.
Another juicy piece of information they revealed was the fandom’s age range. 49.8% of Re:ZERO fans are between 16 and 24 years old, while 42% are between 25 and 34. Only 5.5% are between 35 and 44. The rest are either younger, older, or simply haven’t updated their profile since 2012.
This paints a pretty clear picture: Re:ZERO is a phenomenon primarily among young men, probably otaku at heart, who grew up watching isekai and waifus during the golden age of online anime.
In that same panel, data was shared on other titles, such as From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! and Zenshu, which, while less widely analyzed, serve as a way to see how audiences of other anime behave in MAL. The conclusion? There’s variety, but isekai with powerful waifus and a lot of emotional intensity continue to capture a male audience more.
It’s neither good nor bad; it simply is what it is. But it does invite thought: Is there room for Re:ZERO to grow to other audiences? Or is its formula so established that there’s no turning back?
The numbers don’t lie, but they don’t say it all either. Just because Re:ZERO has a predominantly male fandom doesn’t mean there aren’t women or non-binary people who love it. It’s just that, for now, the data paints a pretty clear picture of who’s queuing up to watch each new episode.
The interesting thing will be to see if, as time goes on and new seasons continue, both Re:ZERO – Starting Life in Another World and other isekai series manage to diversify their audiences. Or if they will continue to be the perfect refuge for otaku who just want to cry, die, and start over.
©長月達平・株式会社KADOKAWA刊／Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活製作委員会